Interestingly, 1920's Germany, apart from the cluttered Weimar governments, was probably the most civilised European country at the time - leaders in philosophy, art, the theatre, literature, theology, science (Einstein was at Humbolt University).
What always amazes me is how a nation can turn from the heights of civil society and within about 10 years (1929 to 1939) turn into Jew-hating goose steppers, willing to commit all sorts of atrocities- you could refer to Daniel Goldhagen's Hitlers Willing Executioners. Its not enough to say, as the current Pope has, that the crimes were perpetrated by a 'gang of criminals'. It was national.
I guess the answer lies in the radicalisation brought about by the Great Depression. Why didn't other nations turn to dictatorship? Well, probably because the Germans had the bitter experience of the 1923 inflation (only 6.5 years earlier) still in recent memory.
Also, the propaganda was effective. Paint your slogans in big black and white. And often. The Nazi's also had its fair share of nutty underlings - Himmler (nuts!), Goering (I have no words), and Goebbels (nuts!) to back up Hitler. These guys would 'work towards the Fuhrer' (a concept developed by British historian Ian Kershaw) which suggests that they interpreted Hitler's vision in increasingly radical ways and tried to outdo each other for the attention of the Fuhrer. And when I say 'attention', I don't mean out of some need to be loved - but putting more elaborate and radical plans in front of the fuhrer meant more resources for your department. And it was all about access to the Fuhrer.
See, Hitler was in fact the laziest ba$tard you are ever likely to meet! Watched videos until 3am and bored the **** out of the dinner guests, and woke at about 1pm for a few hours paperwork before afternoon tea, dinner and more movies.
Now, let me turn to Bush and co. There is a rule on the internet that if you compare someone to Hitler than you immediately lose the argument - can anyone remember what it is????????? hahhahaha.
But, lets disregard that rule for a minute. I'm not suggesting that Bush was like Hitler, but I see alot of similarities between 1930s Germany and 2000s United States. The use of propaganda, painting big ideological ideas into simple slogans, the corruption of civil society, the persecution of those willing to speak out (not at the hands of the government, admittedly), but those Dixie Chicks sure copped it!
I think with the benefit of hindsight, we will look back on this war on terror with a great sense of shame. And in 70 years, Chindia will be asking, 'When will the United States be forgiven?'
Brad